The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #110424   Message #2453794
Posted By: GUEST,Dad Van Fisk
30-Sep-08 - 10:48 AM
Thread Name: England's National Musical-Instrument?
Subject: RE: England's National Musical-Instrument?
Northumbrian Bagpipes (bellows blown), Leicestershire Bagpipes (mouth blown)

Obviously on Planet Walkaboutsverse these instruments are equal in terms of cultural and historical significance. But if he'd bothered to do any research he'd find out that, as WSK says, the latter is a modern invention by Julian Goodacre, and a bloody good bagpipe it is too - see here. Please note, WAV - the Leicestershire is available as both in mouth blown AND bellows blown designs. The one I play is bellows blown, and is ideal for mostly European early and folk music, and even singing, though not many bagpipers sing with their instruments, even those of bellows blown instruments. Every English county once had its own bagpipe - for the Lyra-Viol there was given a bagpipe tuning and melodies alluding to the Lancashire Bagpipes, which are also mentioned in connection with the Preston Guild pageantry of the early 18th century, and as late as 1722 mention is made of a very merry wedding in Preston where there played seven bagpipers!